103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2244

 

Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/2-3.51  from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.51

    Amends the School Code. With respect to the Reading Improvement Block Grant Program, removes language that provides that the State Board of Education may distribute an amount not to exceed 2% of the moneys appropriated for the Program for the purpose of providing teacher training and re-training in the teaching of reading. Provides that if the appropriation for the Program for a given fiscal year is less than $15,000,000, then the State Board shall limit eligibility to certain school districts and shall impose additional eligibility criteria to limit the number of approved applicants to a cohort sufficient for each selected district to provide adequate training and ongoing coaching support to each teacher of students in grades K through 2 and special education teachers and evidence-based curriculum investments. Removes language that provides that programs provided with grant funds shall not replace quality classroom reading instruction. Provides that Program funds may be used for grades K through 6 to provide both evidence-based, high-quality core literacy curriculum materials that consider the unique needs of English learners for concurrent oral language practice and high-quality screening assessments designed to inform instruction in English language arts and literacy for students (instead of classroom reading materials for students). Sets forth other provisions concerning if the appropriation is less than $15,000,000 or is at least $15,000,000.


LRB103 25645 RJT 51994 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2244LRB103 25645 RJT 51994 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
52-3.51 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.51)  (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.51)
7    Sec. 2-3.51. Reading Improvement Block Grant Program. To
8improve the reading and study skills of children from
9kindergarten through sixth grade in school districts. The
10State Board of Education is authorized to administer a Reading
11Improvement Block Grant Program. As used in this Section:
12    "School district" includes those schools designated as
13"laboratory schools".
14    "Scientifically based reading research" means the
15application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures
16to obtain valid knowledge relevant to reading development,
17reading instruction, and reading difficulties. The term
18includes research that employs systematic, empirical methods
19that draw on observation or experiment, involves rigorous data
20analysis that is adequate to test the stated hypotheses and to
21justify the general conclusions drawn, relies on measurements
22or observational methods that provide valid data across
23evaluators and observers and across multiple measurements and

 

 

SB2244- 2 -LRB103 25645 RJT 51994 b

1observations, and has been accepted by peer-reviewed journal
2or approved by a panel of independent experts through a
3comparably rigorous, objective and scientific review.
4    (a) Funds for the Reading Improvement Block Grant Program
5shall be distributed to school districts on the following
6basis: 70% of monies shall be awarded on the prior year's best
73 months average daily attendance and 30% shall be distributed
8on the number of economically disadvantaged (E.C.I.A. Chapter
9I) pupils in the district, provided that the State Board may
10distribute an amount not to exceed 2% of the monies
11appropriated for the Reading Improvement Block Grant Program
12for the purpose of providing teacher training and re-training
13in the teaching of reading. Program funds shall be distributed
14to school districts in 2 semi-annual installments, one payment
15on or before October 30, and one payment prior to April 30, of
16each year. The State Board shall promulgate rules and
17regulations necessary for the implementation of this program.
18    If the appropriation for the Reading Improvement Block
19Grant Program for a given fiscal year is less than
20$15,000,000, then the State Board shall limit eligibility to
21school districts that have been placed in Tier 1 or Tier 2
22pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (g) of Section 18-8.15
23of this Code and shall impose additional eligibility criteria
24to limit the number of approved applicants to a cohort
25sufficient for each selected district to provide adequate
26training and ongoing coaching support to each teacher of

 

 

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1students in kindergarten through grade 2 and special education
2teachers and evidence-based curriculum investments. Programs
3provided with grant funds shall not replace quality classroom
4reading instruction, but shall instead supplement such
5instruction.
6    (a-5) Reading Improvement Block Grant Program funds shall
7be used by school districts in the following manner:
8        (1) to hire reading specialists, reading teachers, and
9    reading aides in order to provide early reading
10    intervention in kindergarten through grade 2 and programs
11    of continued reading support for students in grades 3
12    through 6;
13        (2) in kindergarten through grade 2, to establish
14    short-term tutorial early reading intervention programs
15    for children who are at risk of failing to learn to read;
16    these programs shall (i) focus on scientifically based
17    research and best practices with proven long-term results,
18    (ii) identify students in need of help no later than the
19    middle of first grade, (iii) provide ongoing training for
20    teachers in the program, (iv) focus instruction on
21    strengthening a student's phonemic awareness, phonics,
22    fluency, and comprehension skills, (v) provide a means to
23    document and evaluate student growth, and (vi) provide
24    properly trained staff;
25        (3) to continue direct reading instruction for grades
26    3 through 6;

 

 

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1        (4) in grades 3 through 6, to establish programs of
2    support for students who demonstrate a need for continued
3    assistance in learning to read and in maintaining reading
4    achievement; these programs shall (i) focus on
5    scientifically based research and best practices with
6    proven long-term results, (ii) provide ongoing training
7    for teachers and other staff members in the program, (iii)
8    focus instruction on strengthening a student's phonics,
9    fluency, and comprehension skills in grades 3 through 6,
10    (iv) provide a means to evaluate and document student
11    growth, and (v) provide properly trained staff;
12        (5) in grades K through 6, to provide both
13    evidence-based, high-quality core literacy curriculum
14    materials that consider the unique needs of English
15    learners for concurrent oral language practice and
16    high-quality screening assessments designed to inform
17    instruction in English language arts and literacy
18    classroom reading materials for students; each district
19    may allocate up to 25% of the funds for this purpose; and
20        (6) to provide a long-term professional development
21    program for classroom teachers, administrators, and other
22    appropriate staff; the program shall (i) focus on
23    scientifically based research and best practices with
24    proven long-term results, (ii) provide a means to evaluate
25    student progress in reading as a result of the training,
26    (iii) and be provided by approved staff development

 

 

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1    providers.
2    If the appropriation for the Reading Improvement Block
3Grant Program for a given fiscal year is less than
4$15,000,000, then grant recipients shall prioritize
5evidence-based curricula and materials, training, and ongoing
6coaching support for kindergarten through grade 3 teachers and
7special education teachers.
8    (a-10) If the appropriation for the Reading Improvement
9Block Grant Program for a given fiscal year is at least
10$15,000,000, then Reading Improvement Block Grant Program
11funds shall be made available to each eligible school district
12submitting an approved application developed by the State
13Board beginning with the 1998-99 school year. Applications
14shall include a proposed assessment method or methods for
15measuring the reading growth of students who receive direct
16instruction as a result of the funding and the impact of staff
17development activities on student growth in reading. Such
18methods may include the reading portion of the assessments
19required under Section 2-3.64a-5 of this Code. At the end of
20each school year the district shall report performance of
21progress results to the State Board. Districts not
22demonstrating performance progress using an approved
23assessment method shall not be eligible for funding in the
24third or subsequent years until such progress is established.
25    If the appropriation for the Reading Improvement Block
26Grant Program for a given fiscal year is less than

 

 

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1$15,000,000, then the State Board may establish additional
2eligibility criteria and shall select a cohort of school
3districts that have been placed in Tier 1 or Tier 2 pursuant to
4paragraph (3) of subsection (g) of Section 18-8.15 of this
5Code to participate.
6    (a-15) The State Superintendent of Education, in
7cooperation with the school districts participating in the
8program, shall annually report to the leadership of the
9General Assembly on the results of the Reading Improvement
10Block Grant Program and the progress being made on improving
11the reading skills of students in kindergarten through the
12sixth grade.
13    (b) (Blank).
14    (c) (Blank).
15    (d) Grants under the Reading Improvement Block Grant
16Program shall be awarded provided there is an appropriation
17for the program, and funding levels for each district shall be
18prorated according to the amount of the appropriation for any
19fiscal year in which at least $15,000,000 has been
20appropriated.
21    (e) (Blank).
22    (f) (Blank).
23(Source: P.A. 98-972, eff. 8-15-14.)